Rise of the Death Walkers (The Circle of Heritage Saga)

by Lawrence Nason Jr.

  “Katie is safe.” I murmured before blackness claimed me again.

  Time passed in my mind but this time the blackness was pierced by fleeting moments of lucidity. I knew that Katie was safe. I had protected her from harm. Her perfect face floated around me and I could see the piercing look of her midnight black eyes. Her black satin hair would stream out in the wind as she ran across the distance in my imagination.

  “Jason?” a soft voice pulled me out of my dreaming.

  Another voice I knew was in the room also. “Katie you don’t even know if he can hear you. Why do you do this to yourself? You have been here every day for the last two months. You know the doctors are never sure he will wake up or if he does what state his mind will be in.”

  “Mother he will wake up!” I heard Katie’s voice in a savage tone. “I know he will wake up he has to. It's my fault he is even in here.”

  “Katie, baby, don’t do this to yourself. There is more to life than this one boy. You hardly even know him.”

  “I can’t give up mother, I can’t I don’t know why, but he is very special to me. I can’t explain this to you but I feel something for this boy and it is not just some teenage crush that everyone has been claiming it was.” I could hear her sobbing.

  I could not bear to hear her crying again. “Don’t cry Katie please don’t cry.” I murmured but it was not very loud or clear at all.

  “Jason?” I felt the bed move as she came closer. “Jason?” she said again.

  “Mother, go get the doctors please. Jason, speak to me again.”

  I heard the door close and I felt her take my hand. I wanted to stroke her hair but I could not lift my arm. “Don’t cry Katie.” I said louder with more conviction this time. “Please don’t cry.”

  “Jason, oh Jason I knew you would come back.” She started sobbing again “I thought I had lost you Jason.”

  She really insisted on crying a lot. I forced myself to move my hand to her head and opened my eyes. “Shhh Katie, I’m here and I won't go away again.” I caressed her hair gently.”

  She looked at me with tear filled eyes. “You promise that Jason?”

  “I promise.” I said to her.

  I was still stroking her hair when the doctor came in. “You gave everyone quite a scare there young man. I am Dr. Keller.” He placed his hand on my head and looked into my eyes with a light. “Miss if you would wait outside?”

  “She stays.” I said firmly, and took her hand in mine as firm as I could.

  Dr. Keller pursed his lips for a moment then smiled. “Ok, if that’s your wish.” he moved the light back and forth as he watched the reaction of my eyes. “Most people would be content with one skull fracture but you came in here with three, and several other broken bones.”

  “I didn’t have much choice in the matter it seems.” I grumbled. “How long have I been here?”

  “Two months now. We had to drain some fluid off your brain when you came in but you have never been conscious enough to be aware of your surroundings. You kept mumbling something for the first several days that sounded like, Katie is safe, Katie is safe. But then you slipped into a coma.” He checked my IV and then ran his hands around my neck like he was looking for something. “There we go. It looks like your neck healed fine. We will have to do some more X-rays to be sure.”

  “But Doctor you said..” Katie began

  I saw the Doctor frown and shake his head. “We will set up a schedule for physical therapy for you for later today.”

  “What are you hiding from me Doctor” I struggled to sit up but my legs wouldn’t move. “What’s wrong with my legs?” I said with panic in my voice.

  “Jason.” The doctor said firmly, “You have to calm down.”

  I heard the door open and then my grandfather’s voice. “Tell my Grandson everything Doctor.” His voice was stern.

  “I hardly think that is appropriate right now Mr. White.” The doctor began.

  “Tell him everything!” My grandfather ordered.

  “Um, Jason when the umm, beating occurred, the boys who beat you so bad broke your back and severed some nerves.” The doctor looked from my grandfather to me as he was speaking. “We’re not sure if you will be able to walk again.”

  I looked at the doctor as my world began spinning out of control. I then looked at Katie who had tears streaming down her face. I lifted my hand and cupped her chin. I turned her head so she was looking in my eyes. “I’ll walk again. Do you understand?” I looked at my grandfather who had a grin on his face and smiled. “Could I have a few minutes with Katie please?”

  My grandfather nodded and did not give the doctor a chance to object. He grabbed the doctor’s arm and towed him out of the room.

  I looked back at Katie and I said again firmly. “I will walk again...” and continued in a softer tone, “for you.” She nodded at me as her face lit up in a smile. “What happened to me Katie? I can only remember that person hitting you.” I put as must disgust into the word person as humanly possible.

  Katie gulped as if it was something she did not want to remember. “I tried so hard Jason but I couldn’t get them off you. They were hitting you with iron bars from the scaffolding. It was so horrible. I tried to pull them off but one of them swung at me and I got this.” She had been facing me with one side the whole time and I had been holding her right hand. She now showed me her left arm which was encased in a cast.

  I froze when I saw her arm and growled as fury hit me again. “I’ll kill them!” the heart monitor that was hooked to me started beating faster. I was trying to get up but could not move my legs.

  “Jason, please calm down.” She pleaded “They won't hurt anyone again. All five of them are in the state reformatory now. They won't be leaving there until they are eighteen and Steve has to serve four years jail time after he hits eighteen.”

  There was a look of satisfaction on her face. “They called it a racial beating which it was. There were a lot of witnesses from the school who were horrified by what they did to you. The school has been sending flowers every week and there are cards from everyone I know here.” She gesture to the wall on the other side of the bed.

  I was shocked when I saw all the cards. “But I’m only a half-breed Indian and none of them even know me.”

  The look on Katie’s face was furious. “Jason White! If you ever say anything like that again in my presence I will slap you! You are a person and that’s all that counts to me or any of the people who sent these cards to you.”

  I cringed at her fury and said softly. ”I am sorry Katie, I won't say that again.”

  “Good.” she said softly as she freed up her hand to run it through my hair. I had not noticed until then I had extremely short hair.

  “Your beautiful hair.” she purred. “They cut off all of your beautiful hair.”

  Something caught in my throat as she said that. “I’ll grow it back for you Katie. I’ll do anything for you.”

  When she leaned in closer to me the heart monitor started beeping faster. “This is very interesting indeed.” She said as she leaned back. “I wonder what would happen…” She leaned forward and the monitor started beeping faster again. She came closed and lightly brushed her lips to mine. The monitor flat lined. “Jason!” She jumped back and the monitor started again.

  I grinned sheepishly at here and shrugged. “Sorry Katie you have an effect on me that is beyond my control.”

  “This could become embarrassing. I hope they take that thing off soon.” She said with a sparkle in her eye.

  The door opened and my Grandfather came back in again. He placed his arm on Katie’s shoulder and grinned at me.

  “This little girl never once gave up hope, Jason.” He hugged her quickly “Quite a little catch you got yourself here Jason.” he winked at me.

  I felt the blood rush to my face and grinned at Katie as she blushed too. “She is very special to me grandfather.” I looked out in the hallway to see if anyone else from my family was ther
e. “Where is mom?” I asked my grandfather.

  The grin was wiped off his face and he said. “We will talk about that later.” The tone in his voice left no room for misinterpretation. I knew we would talk about it later and I had a sinking feeling that I would not like what I heard.

  Chapter 6 - Friendship

  I was sitting up in my bed working on homework a few weeks later, when Katie came in. She had a grin on her face when she entered and she said. “Guess what.”

  I put down the book I had been reading and shoved the table back away from my hospital bed.

  “What, Katie?”

  My physical therapy was not going as well as I wanted it to go. I still was not able to move my legs at all. I was frustrated with myself and I wished things could go quicker than they were. Because I had so much time on my hands, at least I had been able to catch up on all the schoolwork I had missed. Katie’s mom had been tutoring me and helping me with the more difficult subjects. I had discovered that Katie has managed to shift her whole schedule around so it matched mine. She had been the one who brought all my homework to me and we did it together every night as long as she could stay.

  “You are getting out of here for the weekend.” She grinned at me.

  “I am? How did you manage that?” I asked her.

  “Well I think it sometimes counts that my Dad is head of this department and I’ve been getting on his nerves for the last two weeks.” She looked at me with innocent eyes. “Jordan is off at college so I convinced both my mother and father that you can have his room when you can get out of the hospital. Personally I think my father only wanted peace and quiet from my tantrums so he agreed you could stay there on the weekends.” She winked at me.

  It would be several weeks before the room would be ready that my grandfather was building me. I hated the fact that my grandparents would not take me home from the hospital until there was a handicapped accessible room available. My grandmother had the fixed idea that unless I could go to and from my room on my own, my mental recovery would be severely compromised. I’d been worried about the cost of the hospital until I found out that the village had to pay for everything because it had happened at the local school. From what I heard, the village counsel was going after the families of the boys who did this to me for partial compensation. “Ok I am up for anything. I hate it in here.”

  “Good then its settled. I have a lot of things planned for the weekend but first we are taking you to physical therapy.” She waved out the door to someone and a moment later my grandfather came in pushing a wheelchair.

  I waited until my grandfather picked me up and placed me in the chair before I grumbled. “It doesn’t seem to me that this physical therapy is helping me much.”

  My grandfather grabbed my shoulder and said sternly. “Let us have none of that, Jason. You made a promise to Katie here and our family does not break promises”

  “Ow!” I said and then I grinned at him. “I know Grandfather. I am trying my best.”

  “Sometimes the spirit needs help in its works.” My grandfather chuckled at me.

  I was surprised when he headed toward the exit door instead of turning left to physical therapy section. “Where are we going?”

  “I have orders from your new physical therapist. We are going to the school.” I looked around and noticed that Katie has disappeared.

  “Where did Katie go?” I asked confused.

  He shook my shoulder again and commanded. “Quiet boy, I am only following orders.” I looked at the vehicle he was wheeling me toward. It was a new Ford truck. “Where is your old truck Grandpa?”

  “Baling wire and duct tape only works for so long then nothing can help a dead body.” I heard a grin in his voice. “Besides your grandmother refused to let you ride in that old deathtrap and since she won't let me carry you and run the whole twelve miles to the school. She insisted I get the new truck. She thinks I am OLD.”

  I grinned at him as he lifted me to put me into the new truck. “You're not old Grandpa Sam. You are just well seasoned.”

  He roared in laughter. “I will have to remember that one. Your grandmother will get a kick out of it.” He started the truck and it purred like a kitten. He pulled out of the parking lot of the hospital and he headed down Maple Street. “Katie’s family lives in this big white house here.” He pointed to the house in question and I was astonished to see that wheelchair ramps had been recently built. He noticed what my attention was on and chuckled. “I have not seen such an ornery woman in my entire life as your Katie. Dr. Grant said she screamed for three days until he relented and had the ramps put in. Your uncle gave him a good price on the construction and I gave him the wood from the trees on our land to help get the ramps built. You watch her Jason or she will have you stuck inside and cooking and changing babies the rest of your life and you will never see the woods.”

  I was shocked at just how deeply involved that my grandfather thought I was with Katie. We had always been proper when her parents or my grandparents were around. I’d been surprised to hear that Katie was actually a year older than I was. She was already sixteen and had her own car.

  I had asked her once if she ever considered the fact I was a year younger than her and she told me shyly. “Maybe I like younger men.”

  Apparently she had been really sick one year with something and had missed a whole year of school. As a result she was a freshman in high school just like me.

  We were approaching the high school by this time and I was surprise to see Katie waiting outside the open doors to the sport facilities. “Aha there is your new PT instructor now.” My grandfather said as he waved to Katie.

  “Katie is my physical therapy instructor?” I looked in disbelief at my grandfather who just grinned at me back and shrugged.

  “I told you she is a feisty one that one and I do not see you putting one over on that one the way that you did your last instructor.” He lifted me out of the truck and set me in the wheelchair. He then rolled me up beside Katie.

  Katie smiled at me and jerked her thumb over her shoulder with an indication my grandfather should make himself scarce inside. I was surprised when he actually followed her order. Once he was out of sight she jumped in my lap and looked me straight in my eyes. “No more fooling around Mister Jason White. We are going to get you walking if it’s the last thing I do.” She moved her face closer to mine and my heart skipped a beat. “Besides we have Junior Prom to think about.” She kissed me lightly on the lips and then jumped up. When she kissed me my heart missed a beat, like it usually did.

  She pushed my chair into the building and for a moment I was blinded. “Why are the lights out here?” I asked in confusion. Suddenly the lights came on and a bunch of students cheering startled me. It looked like the entire school was in here. Why would they be cheering for me?

  I looked back at her and saw a smile on her lips. She leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “You are NOT a half-breed Indian Jason White you are somebody and the whole school was disgusted by what happened to you.” She wheeled me to the center of the Gym where Mr. Janas the principal was waiting for us.

  “Dear members of the faculty and members of the student body.” He began over the speakers in the Gym. “Two months ago our school was the scene of a disgusting act that resulted in the injury of one of our students. While we cannot undo the vicious act that was committed that day we can rejoice in the return of one of our own. Students, members of the faculty, join me in welcoming Jason White back to school.” The cheering that erupted hurt my ears. I was speechless at the enthusiasm being shown. My face was beet red.

  After a few minutes Mr. Janas put up his hands and the student body quieted down. “Despite his injuries Jason has continued his studies and has in fact caught up in all of his classes. With dedication that should be admired by teachers and students alike he has managed to become one of the top five in the freshmen class.” This was news to me. I watched as he waved four other students forward. “Because Jason
has been in the hospital and could not attend the normal ceremonies due to his condition. Mrs. Grant and her daughter Katie planned this celebration to honor Jason and his accomplishments.”

  Once of the students stepped forward and handed me a certificate. “My name is Amber, Jason and it's my pleasure to hand you this certificate that confirms your initiation into the Valedictorians of the class of 1983. Keep up the good work Jason.” She smiled at me as I took the award from her.

  Mr. Janas handed me the microphone and urged me to say something. I took the microphone and started to speak. “Err.” the microphone squeaked with feedback. Some of the students present giggled. “Sorry about that. I am taken by surprise by the welcome I have received here today.” Words that my grandfather had often spoken to me echoed in my memory. “I don’t know very many of you due to the circumstances but I look forward to getting to know as many of you as I possibly can. And I thank you for the honor you have bestowed upon me today.” The cheering cut loose again and it startled me again.

  I felt my grandfather’s hand on my shoulder and heard him say to me. “Well spoken Jason. Your family and your tribe are very proud of you.”

  Katie came to me and bent down to kiss me lightly. My heart skipped a beat as she leaned in closer and said “There is more to come.” I looked at her confused.

  Mr. Janas cleared his voice and calmed down the occupants of the gym. “There was a petition filed with the school board about one month after the incident that injured this young man. The school board was astonished at the number of signatures present on the petition. There was not only every signature from every member of the faculty and student body in this school but over a thousand signatures from the outlying community. The school board has no other choice than to honor this petition and rename the gymnasium to ‘The Jason White Gymnasium.’”

  The cheering that broke out was thunderous and I saw banners drop at each end of the Gym. Much to my horror I saw my name at each end of the gym. I wanted to find a rock and crawl under it.